Raspberry Cake with Vanilla Bean Meringue
Prep: 20 min
Bake: 25 min
Yield: 1 (9-inch) layer cake
Fresh raspberries are all the decoration needed for this simple yellow layer cake topped with light, fluffy meringue. It’s a show-stopping centerpiece for anything from elegant dinners to casual cookouts.
- 2 1/2 cups sifted Swans Down® Cake Flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 pints fresh raspberries
Vanilla Bean Meringue Frosting
- 1 1/2 cups sugar, divided
- 2/3 cup water
- 6 egg whites
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and lightly flour 2 (9-inch) round cake pans.
- Make Cake: Sift flour before measuring, then measure the sifted flour, add the baking powder, salt and sugar, and sift again.
- Mix softened butter, flour mixture, 3/4 of the milk and the vanilla at low speed for 2 minutes. Add eggs and remaining milk and beat 1 minute more.
- Pour batter into prepared pans and bake 20 to 25 minutes or until a tester inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks.
- Make Frosting: While cake is baking, combine 1 1/4 cups of the sugar and the 2/3 cup water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir just until the sugar begins to dissolve. Attach a candy thermometer to the side of the saucepan and cook without stirring until syrup reaches 235°F.
- In the bowl of a standing mixer, whisk egg whites on medium speed to a soft peak. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar and the cream of tartar, vanilla bean paste and salt; continue to whisk for 1 minute more.
- Pour the hot sugar syrup down the side of the mixing bowl in a slow, steady stream while continuing to whisk the meringue. Continue to whisk for seven minutes or until the meringue frosting has cooled. Use immediately.
- Assemble Cake: When cake is cooled, place one layer on a cake board, platter or stand. Spoon some frosting on the layer and top with raspberries. (Reserve some raspberries for garnish.) Add the second layer and frost the whole cake with the remaining frosting. Brown the top of the cake using a kitchen torch and garnish with remaining raspberries. Serve immediately.
Can I freeze this cake
Hi Phyllis,
You can freeze the cake. Let the cake cool to room temperature or completely cool on a rack. Wrapping a warm cake can make it soggy. Wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil. This double layer protects the cake from freezer burn and keeps odors out. Place the wrapped cake on a baking sheet in the freezer so it freezes flat.Once frozen, you can stack the cake layers in the freezer to save space. To use, move the frozen cake layers to the fridge the night before and they’ll thaw overnight. You can assemble cakes with frozen layers straight from the freezer. The meringue needs to be made just before serving. Happy Baking!
Is the 1 2 3 4 cake a yellow cake?
HI Maureen,
Yes the back of the box cake is a yellow cake. If you would like it to be more yellow, be sure to use really good eggs. I find farm eggs or even brands like Vital Farms have really dark yellow, almost orange colored yolks and they taste great too. Happy Baking!
Been using Swans Down for years, love it, I wouldn’t bake without it.
Can I use salted butter in the raspberry cake, if I leave out the salt called for in the recipe ? also how many layers does this cake make?
Hi Alice, You can use salted butter in place of unsalted. 1 Stick or 1/2 cup of butter typically has about 1/4 teaspoon of salt. It varies by brand. You should check with the brands manufacturer to get the exact amount then can adjust the salt in the recipe if needed. This recipe will yield 2 (9-inch) round cake pans or 1- 9″ layer cake. Happy Baking!